Fred Graham

Both art teacher and sculptor Fred Graham is a world-renowned carver born in the South Waikato town of Arapuni. His teaching career began as an Art Advisor to Maori schools in Rotorua but he soon moved north to continue this path working with Maori students in the Far North. As teacher and lecturer in Art, Fred Graham has worked in centres around the North Island, from Dargarville to Palmerston North all while taking an active role in local rugby clubs, representing Bay of Plenty, North Auckland and ultimately being selected as a representative for the New Zealand Maori rugby team. While carving and sculpture is the art form that has provided Fred Graham recognition in the art world it was photography that was his first passion. It was a desire to further his studies in art and photography that led Graham to attend Massey University, the first student from his school to do so. Graham has has an illustrious career as a sculptor, with his works found around the world, most notably in Port Alberni, British Columbia and Burke Museum in Seattle. In recent years Graham has been recognised with several prestigious awards, he became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Maori Art and received the Arts Foundation Icon Award in 2018. He has also held a position on the Maori Advisory Group at the Auckland Art Gallery since 1996.